Horizontal press for compacting scrap metal

ABSTRACT

A hydraulically actuated horizontal press for compacting scrap metal which comprises an elongated chamber for loading, a movable cylinder with a base element connected thereto through a movable piston. The compression occurs in stages by advancing under pressure first the movable cylinder and then the base element thereof. Removable blocking keys are arranged longitudinally throughout the chamber and are activated to immobilize either the cylinder or the base element after each advance.

United States Patent Muraro et al.

[ 51 May 30, 1972 [54] HORIZONTAL PRESS FOR COMPACTING SCRAP METAL [72] Inventors: Angelo Muraro, via Val Chiampo, Montorno; Giovanni Busi, via Kossuth l2, Brescia, both of Italy [22] Filed: Mar. 9, I970 [21] Appl. No.: 17,502

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Mar. 13, 1969 Italy ..6l536 A/69 [52] U.S. CI ..l00/245, 100/257, 100/269, 100/295 [51] Int. Cl ..B30b 5/00 [58] Field of Search 100/257, 269, 295, 219, 245; 92/117, 161, 167; 72/446 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Damrow 100/257 X 2,579,176 12/1951 Dalton 100/269 X 3,229,619 1/1966 Van Dranen 100/257 X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 946,924 1/1964 Great Britain 100/245 Primary Examiner-Billy J. Wilhite AttorneyClario Ceccon ABSTRACT A hydraulically actuated horizontal press for compacting scrap metal which comprises an elongated chamber for loading, a movable cylinder with a base element connected thereto through a movable piston. The compression occurs in stages by advancing under pressure first the movable cylinder and then the base element thereof. Removable blocking keys are arranged longitudinally throughout the chamber and are activated to immobilize either the cylinder or the base element after each advance.

2 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures 3 Sheets-Shoot 1 I'll Fig.4

Patented May 30, 1972 3 Sheets-Shoot 2 IIIIJ Ill Fig.7

[Ill

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Fig 8 Patented May 30, 1972 3 Sheets-Shut 5 HORIZONTAL PRESS FOR COMPACTING SCRAP METAL The present invention relates to scrap metal presses in general and, more particularly, to a small-volume, inexpensive, horizontal-type press for producing bales or bundles of scrap metal, particularly light scrap metal.

The baling of metal scrap articles into a compact and readily-handled bundle is well known. This is a requirement necessitated by the desired simplification in transporting, warehousing and, ultimately, furnace loading operations.

The great variation in the volume of scrap metal of different nature requires, in order to compact the scrap into suitably handled bundles, a pressing device with a substantially large operational press chamber and this, obviously, necessitates a substantially long travel of the hydraulic pressing piston. This, in turn, involves a sizable piece of equipment, very expensive and certainly disproportionately costly with respect to the value of the material to be compacted.

The disadvantages of the prior known devices are now overcome by the present inventive apparatus. In the horizontal press of the invention, the pressing or compacting means is devised in the shape of a hydraulic cylinder, which is movable with respect to a piston. The shaft of this piston is rigidly anchored to a base element which, at the end of each advancing step of the cylinder, is also advanced by the same longitudinal distance by means of an auxiliary piston positioned internally of the movable cylinder and integral therewith. The auxiliary piston travels within a cylindrical cavity provided inside the main piston and coaxially therewith. The base element is, therefore, anchored in the newly advanced position by means of transverse blocking keys, so as to permit the main cylinder to advance by another compressive step to a further more advanced position.

The blocking keys serve the purpose of rigidly positioning the movable cylinder during the phase of advancement of the base element of the press. It is, thus, possible to effect any degree of advancement, while limiting the unit travel of the mobile cylinder to distances considerably smaller than the overall length of the chamber.

The present invention, consequently, provides for a press of limited dimensions and of relatively low cost when compared to the dimensions and cost required by a press which is compelled by its own very structure to effect a complete travel in compression regardless of the scrap load in the chamber.

Similarly to the compression steps, the return of the mobile cylinder and of its relative piston to the starting position is effected by repeating, in the opposite direction, the operational steps previously carried out, that is to say, by causing the press to effect a number of successive travels of limited displacement.

A plurality of conduits, provided inside the piston shaft and inside the piston proper, deliver the pressurized fluid, suitably oil, the fluid being then discharged into the various chambers of the mobile cylinder. Suitable fluid control means are also provided in connection with the base element of the press, so as to permit the sequential operational steps of the device.

The advantages of the above described inventive device will become more apparent from the following detail description thereof and from the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a particular embodiment of the principles of the invention without limiting, obviously, the structure of the device.

In the drawings,

FIGS. 1-4 represent schematically four sequential operational positions of the device of the invention, during the compression of a load of scrap metal;

FIGS. -8 represent, schematically, four' other sequential operational positions of the same device during the return travel thereof to the starting position; and

FIG. 9 shows cross-sectionally the longitudinally axial section of the mobile portion of the press of the invention.

With reference to the accompanying drawings, the press of the invention comprises an elongated chamber 1 into which is charged the scrap metal to be compacted. Also inserted into chamber 1 is the compressing means which is formed of the mobile cylinder 2 with its respective piston connected to the base element 4 by means of shaft 3.

The base element 4 is provided with lateral cavities 5 within which are inserted the transverse blocking keys 6 for rigidly immobilizing the base element 4.

The operational control of the blocking keys 6 may be effected by means of hydraulic or mechanical or any other suitable means.

Additional blocking keys, similar to those indicated at 6 are positioned at predetermined locations along the elongated chamber. lllustratively, these additional keys are shown at, for example, 7, 8, 9, and 10. The distance between any two iongitudinally adjacent keys is determined by the length of travel desired.

After the traveling of cylinder 2 has begun, this advances to the position illustrated in FIG. 2, wherein the transverse blocking keys which are in position 8 are caused to be lodged inside chamber 1, so as to reach the shoulders of the rear edge of the cylinder 2 and, consequently, to cause the rigid immobilization of the cylinder in the newly reached position. At this point, a suitable inversion of direction of the pressurized oil feed causes an advance of the base element 4. This advance, obviously, takes place after the base element 4 is, previously, released by the withdrawal of the blocking keys of position 6, see FIG. 3.

The base element 4 then advances to reach the position shown in FIG. 4, wherein the blocking keys of position 7 are lodged inside the cavities 5 of the base element, thus blocking its ability to move in either direction. At this point, the blocking keys of position 8 are withdrawn and the mobile cylinder 2 is ready to advance further to a new position.

It is evident from the above that, by repeating these sequential operations, it is possible to obtain a compression of the overall desired length, so that the bundle of scrap metal contained in chamber 1 will have the desired dimension and degree of compactness.

The retrieval of the pressing means to the original starting position takes place by repeating in the opposite direction the sequential step described hereabove. For example, from the position shown in FIG. 5, wherein the blocking keys of position 9 are lodged into cavities 5 of the base element, the 1 cylinder 2 is first withdrawn to a position as shown in FIG. 6.

Subsequently, the blocking keys of position 9 are removed, see FIG. 7, and the base element is caused to withdraw to a position corresponding to the blocking keys 8. This occurs because the mobile cylinder 2 has a substantially greater mass than the base element, so that only the base element is capable of movement.

In the position indicated at 8, see FIG. 8, the blocking keys' I are then lodged in the cavities of the base element 4, thus allowing cylinder 2 to withdraw to a position such as shown in FIG. 8. v

The withdrawing steps are repeated until the original starting position is reached and the chamber 1 is ready for a new charge of scrap metal.

FIG. 9 shows, cross-sectionally, a typical press including an elongated chamber 33 having an end wall 34 capable of carrying out the compacting steps described hereabove.

In FIG. 9, numeral 21 represents the mobile cylinder having a curved end face which travels longitudinally about piston 11. Piston 11 is internally provided with a cylindrical cavity 20 in which travels the .piston 12. The shaft 13 of piston 12 is rigidly connected with the mobile cylinder 21.

The feeding of the pressurized fluid, suitably oil, occurs through the central conduit 14 provided inside the shaft 23 which is rigidly connected to piston 11. The central conduit feeds chamber 15 located in front of piston 12, within the inner cylindrical cavity of piston 11. The fluid is also fed through lateral conduit 16 provided inside the shaft 23. Conduit 16 is in fluid communication with the chamber at the rear of piston 11, within the mobile cylinder 21, by means of conduit 17 provided in the piston 11 proper.

A third conduit 18 is provided also within shaft 3 and is in fluid communication with chamber 20 through conduit 19 provided in the piston 11. Chamber 20 is formed by the inner cylindrical cavity of the piston and is located in the rear of piston 12.

The operation of feeding the pressurized fluid consists of introducing the fluid under pressure into conduits 14, 16 and 18 during the compression sequential steps of the mobile cylinder 2, so as to equalize the pressures on the opposed walls of the element 21.

Subsequently, conduits l4 and 16 are connected to a discharge, while pressurized fluid is introduced in conduit 18, thus obtaining the advance of piston 11 and of the base element 24 connected thereto. Blocking keys 25, 26 etc. only two of which are shown schematically in FIG. 9 for ease of illustration, may be moved by any suitable means such as, for example, hydraulic cylinders 27, 28 which, by means of pressurized fluid conduits 29, 30 and 31, 32 can cooperate with the displacement of the base element 24.

The withdrawal or retrieval operational steps are obtained by inverting the order of pressurization, as hereabove described. The retrieval operations may be effected, however, in considerably less time.

The structural appearance of the device here illustrated may obviously be altered without departing from the spirit of the invention and the utilization of the device of the invention may be readily connected to any mass-displacement operation, other than scrap metal compaction.

What is claimed is:

1. Horizontal press for compacting scrap metal which comprises an elongated chamber including an end wall for receiving the metal to be compacted; a compression means positioned within said elongated chamber; said compression means comprising a mobile cylinder having an end face in axially spaced opposition to said chamber end wall, a movable piston movable within said mobile cylinder, and a base element connected to said mobile cylinder; said movable piston having a cavity therein; a piston positioned within said cavity and rigidly connected to said mobile cylinder; a plurality of movable blocking keys provided in said elongated chamber along the walls thereof, said keys being distanced from one another in a predetermined manner and alternately blocking said mobile cylinder and said base element; and means for displacing under pressure said mobile cylinder, said base element and said blocking keys.

2. Horizontal press according to claim 1, wherein said displacing means comprise a plurality of conduits for pressurized fluid positioned within said rigidly connected piston for the introduction of said pressurized fluid into the body of said mobile cylinder and into the movable piston; and a plurality of discharge conduits for said pressurized fluid in fluid communication with said first-mentioned conduits. 

1. Horizontal press for compacting scrap metal which comprises an elongated chamber including an end wall for receiving the metal to be compacted; a compression means positioned within said elongated chamber; said compression means comprising a mobile cylinder having an end face in axially spaced opposition to said chamber end wall, a movable piston movable within said mobile cylinder, and a base element connected to said mobile cylinder; said movable piston having a cavity therein; a piston positioned within said cavity and rigidly connected to said mobile cylinder; a plurality of movable blocking keys provided in said elongated chamber along the walls thereof, said keys being distanced from one another in a predetermined manner and alternately blocking said mobile cylinder and said base element; and means for displacing under pressure said mobile cylinder, said base element and said blocking keys.
 2. Horizontal press according to claim 1, wherein said displacing means comprise a plurality of conduits for pressurized fluid positioned within said rigidly connected piston for the introduction of said pressurized fluid into the body of said mobile cylinder and Into the movable piston; and a plurality of discharge conduits for said pressurized fluid in fluid communication with said first-mentioned conduits. 